Interim
Legislative Update: COVID Relief Funds
Rep.
Anne Donahue
August
5, 2020
Hello
folks,
This
is an interim update about what is rolling out and available in COVID-19 relief
funds that were passed by the legislature in June. We will be back in session
on August 25 to begin the work on the budget for the remaining two thirds of the
session.
Please remember
the primary on August 11! Voting will still be available in person. If you have
not sent an absentee ballot by mail yet, it is being recommended that you DO
NOT rely on it getting there by mail in time to be counted. If you want to vote
absentee, you can still turn the ballot it by hand to the town clerk’s office. For the general
election on November 3, ballots will be mailed to everyone who is on the voter
checklist. If you are not registered, you still need to do so. Polling places
will still be open for those who prefer to vote in person.
Relief components
of Vermont CARES appropriations
These
range from not-yet-available to already in place with first-come-first-served
and date cutoffs this month.
Overview of
supports for individuals:
-
Utility
cutoff fund, $8 million, Public Service Department. Not yet in place because it
applies after the moratorium on cutoffs ends, currently set for September 30.
-
The
Vermont State Housing Authority was provided with $25 million for rental
arrearage to prevent evictions. Applications available now. www.vsha.org/rental-housing-stabilization-program/
-
Department of Housing and Community
Development was provided with $5 million to prevent foreclosures. Applications will
be accepted until August 31 unless funds run out sooner. www.vhfa.org/map/
Indirect support
to individuals.
-
A
program is being created with $5 million for restaurants to provide food to
individuals. There is current an RFP for community organizations to apply to
run the program; applications taken on a rolling basis and reviewed when
received and continuing until funds are fully allocated. www.sevca.org/vt-everyone-eats Participating restaurants will be
paid $10/meal; go to SEVCA website.
-
The
hazard pay grant program ($28 million) goes through employers. Applications are
now open, first-come-first-served. Employees should reach out to their employer
directly and refer them to program guidance located on the website. dvha.vermont.gov/front-line-employees-hazard-pay-grant-program.
(Municipal employees are not eligible, but municipalities can receive grants
for COVID expenses through the Agency of Administration, which can include
providing hazard pay; $13 million appropriated. aoa.vermont.gov/)
-
Landlords
can receive grants of up to $30,000 to renovate and get blighted properties
back on the rental market. ($6.2 million total) Department of Housing and
Community Development; program not yet listed as underway.
Businesses
overview
-
Internet
connectivity to underserved communities, $12 million. RFP process open is
currently open for internet providers; the deadlines for proposals for the
first two of three rounds are August 14 and August 21. publicservice.vermont.gov/content/connectivity-initiative-0
-
The
business grant program is now taking applications, $150 million, first-come,
first-served; applications currently open. accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/economic-recovery-grants.
-
Health
care entities (including small/independent practices), $275 million, applications
now open, deadline August 15. humanservices.vermont.gov/
Program details
Utilities
The
Department of Public Service received $8 million to prevent disconnection;
takes effect after the temporary moratorium ends; moratorium currently extends
to September 30. (Program application process not yet listed, likely due to the
delayed effective date.)
Statute:
Act
137. An act relating to COVID-19 funding and assistance for broadband
connectivity, housing, and economic relief.
Sec.
20. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICE; UTILITY RATEPAYER ARREARAGES The sum of
$8,000,000.00 is appropriated to the Department of Public Service for the
purpose of simultaneously minimizing financial hardship caused by the COVID-19
public health emergency and also mitigating utility rate increases ultimately
shared by all ratepayers, the Commissioner of Public Service shall develop
policies and practices for providing financial support to utility ratepayers to
cover account arrearages of ratepayers likely to face disconnection when the
moratorium ends.
Housing
The
Vermont State Housing Authority was provided with $25 million for rental arrearage.
Information is at www.vsha.org/rental-housing-stabilization-program/
The
Department of Housing and Community Development was provided with $5 million to
prevent foreclosures. VHFA intends to prioritize applicants with lower incomes,
but given the limited amount of funds and the limited time to review
applications and distribute awards there is no assurance that any individual
application will be funded. Applications will be accepted between July 13 and
August 31 (this period may be shortened with little to no notice if application
volume exceeds expectations). Information at www.vhfa.org/map/
The
Department of Housing and Community Development was provided $6.2 million for
grants to landlords to repair blighted property to get it back on the rental
market. There are no announcements yet about this program.
Statute:
Sec.
11. COVID-19 RESPONSE; HOUSING
(3)
Foreclosure protection. $5,000,000.00 to the Department of Housing
and
Community Development for a grant to the Vermont Housing Finance
Agency
to provide financial and technical assistance to stabilize low- and
moderate-income
homeowners and prevent home foreclosures for Vermont
families.
(4)
Rental assistance; eviction protection. $25,000,000.00 to the
Department
of Housing and Community Development for a grant to the
Vermont
State Housing Authority, which shall administer the distribution of
funds
to landlords on behalf of tenants in need of rental arrearage assistance.
(5) Rehousing investments.
(A)
Creation of Program. The amount of $6,200,000.00 is appropriated to the
Department
of
Housing and Community Development to
design
and implement a Re-housing Recovery Program to provide funding to
statewide
and regional housing partner organizations for grants to eligible
applicants…
(I) A property owner may apply for a grant of up to $30,000.00
per
unit. (II) To be eligible, a unit must be blighted, vacant, or otherwise
not
comply with applicable rental housing health and safety laws.
Food
An
allocation of $5m is for a new program called Everyone Eats, which supports
restaurants feeding Vermonters in need. Southeastern Vermont Community Action
(SEVCA), the fiscal agent for the program, is requesting proposals from
community organizations around the state to further these programs in the
months ahead. Visit the SEVCA website for more information and to submit a
proposal. Participating restaurants will be paid $10/meal and
at least 10% of the ingredients for each meal must be sourced from local farms
and value-added food producers. Interested restaurants should contact SEVCA. www.sevca.org/vt-everyone-eats
Statute: (3)
$5,000,000.00 to the Agency of Commerce and Community
Development
to grant to Southeastern Vermont Community Action to act as
fiscal
agent for a statewide program, Restaurants and Farmers Feeding the
Hungry,
the purpose of which is to provide assistance to Vermonters who are
food
insecure due to the COVID-19 public health emergency by engaging
Vermont
restaurants that have suffered economic harm due to the COVID-19
public
health emergency to prepare meals using foodstuffs purchased from
Vermont
farms and food producers… (B) Under the Program, SEVCA and partners shall:
(i)
establish multiple community-scale hubs across Vermont to
coordinate
restaurant engagement and distribution of not fewer than 15,000
meals
per week…
Connectivity
“The
Department of Public Service is issuing a new round of Connectivity Initiative
funding along with the newly-created Get Vermonters Connected Now Initiative
("GVCNI"). This grant cycle will be funded by the Coronavirus Relief
Fund, and is subject to its restrictions. H.966, which establishes the GVCNI,
directs the Department to prioritize underserved locations with K-12 students,
teleworkers, and those with identified telehealth needs. The Department will
publish peridically-updated lists of eligible and priority addresses. Priority
addresses are defined as: Locations lacking a connection faster than 4/1Mbps; Locations
with a K-12 student lacking a 25/3 Mbps connection; Locations with a remote
worker lacking a 25/3 Mbps connection; Locations with telehealth needs lacking
a 25/3 Mbps connection.” The Department is making $12 million available for
grants, which will be distributed in three funding rounds of $4 million each. The upcoming deadlines for proposal submission are August
14 and August 21. For more information, see publicservice.vermont.gov/content/connectivity-initiative-0
Statute: Sec. 13.
COVID-RESPONSE ACCELERATED BROADBAND
CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM
(a)
The sum of $17,433,500.00 is appropriated to the COVID-Response
Accelerated
Broadband Connectivity Program, a newly established program
administered
by the Commissioner of Public Service, consistent with the
requirements
of this section. The purpose of the Program is to rapidly and
significantly
increase broadband connectivity consistent with the federal
parameters
applicable to expenditures under the Coronavirus Relief Fund in a
manner
that best serves the State’s goal of achieving universal 100 Mbps
symmetrical
service by 2024 as specified in 30 V.S.A. § 202c. To achieve this
purpose,
the Commissioner is given broad discretion to allocate funding, as he
or
she deems appropriate, subject to legislative oversight as required under
subsection
(m) of this section, to support the following programs and
initiatives:
(multiple subparts)
Hazard Pay Grants
The
Front-Line Employees Hazard Pay Grant Program is for certain public safety,
public health, health care, and human services employers whose employees were
engaged in activities substantially dedicated to mitigating or responding to
the COVID-19 public health emergency during the eligible time period, March 13,
2020 through May 15, 2020. The Agency of Human Services (AHS) is administering
this program. The application period is August 4 through October 31 or until grant
funds are depleted, whichever is earlier. Only covered employers may apply for
this grant opportunity on behalf of their employees, employees should reach out
to their employer directly and refer them to program guidance located on the
website. dvha.vermont.gov/front-line-employees-hazard-pay-grant-program
Statute: Act 136. An act
relating to health care- and human services-related appropriations from the
Coronavirus Relief Fund.
Sec.
6. FRONT-LINE EMPLOYEES HAZARD PAY GRANT PROGRAM
(a)(1)
There is established in the Agency of Human Services the Front-Line
Employees
Hazard Pay Grant Program to administer and award grants to
certain
public safety, public health, health care, and human services employers
whose
employees were engaged in activities substantially dedicated to
mitigating
or responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency during the
eligible
period.
(2)
The sum of $28,000,000.00 is appropriated from the Coronavirus
Relief
Fund to the Agency of Human Services in fiscal year 2021 for the
administration
and payment of grants pursuant to the Front-Line Employees
Hazard
Pay Grant Program established in subdivision (1) of this subsection.
Local government
Cities,
towns, villages, and other government entities may apply for funding through
the Agency of Administration, which will administer a special grant fund and
issue grants to units of local government to reimburse eligible COVID-19
expenses incurred on or before December 30, 2020, including hazard pay,
supplies and equipment, sanitation, facility alterations, overtime
compensation, redirection of staff for first-response needs, and any other
eligible COVID-19 expenses not covered by other funding sources, including
funding provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. aoa.vermont.gov/
Statute: Act 136. Sec. 7.
COVID-19 EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT; LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
(a)
The amount of $13,000,000.00 is appropriated from the Coronavirus
Relief
Fund to the Agency of Administration for the purpose of issuing grants
to
units of local government to reimburse eligible COVID-19 expenses
incurred
on or before December 30, 2020, including hazard pay, supplies and
equipment,
sanitation, facility alterations, overtime compensation, redirection
of
staff for first-response needs, and any other eligible COVID-19 expenses
not
covered by other funding sources, including funding provided by the
Federal
Emergency Management Agency.
Business grants
ACCD
and the Department of Taxes are administering Economic Recovery Grants for
certain business types. Other state agencies are also administering grants for
other types of businesses. Applications are first-come, first-served until
funds run out. Grant guidelines and links
for all business grants are available at accd.vermont.gov/covid-19/economic-recovery-grants
Health care grants
The
Agency of Human Services is administering a $275 million Health Care Provider
Stabilization Grant Program for a broad array of healthcare providers
including: hospitals, private medical practices, dentists, health centers,
laboratory and imaging centers, mental health providers, substance abuse
disorder treatment providers, emergency medical service and ambulance
providers, physical therapists, podiatrist, optometrists, chiropractors, and
other health care providers licensed by the Board of Medical Practice or the
Office of Professional Regulation. This also includes home health and hospice
agencies, pharmacy services, and long-term care providers. Providers have until
August 15 to submit applications for funding. Funding will be allocated based
on need, to the extent that funds are available. humanservices.vermont.gov/
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